When the names of two researchers were called as top innovators at the recent Texas A&M Technology Commercialization banquet in College Station, officials at Texas A&M AgriLife beamed.

“It was gratifying to see that our efforts to attract and support the best scientists was noticed and honored,” said Dr. Craig Nessler, director of Texas A&M AgriLife Research, the agency that yielded both winners — Dr. Gregory Sword and Dr. Joshua Yuan. “And we’re also proud that so many of the others honored hail from AgriLife Research and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.”

Research results by Sword and Yuan have connected with private industry and with the federal government in ways that not only pay off for further studies but ultimately benefit producers and consumers, Nessler said.

They weren’t alone. AgriLife Research scientists annually produce scores of novel developments, from new crop varieties to biological methods aimed at improving the nation’s supply of food, feed and fiber, according to the citations.

“Science isn’t just about discovering facts that previously were unknown,” Nessler said. “To truly make a difference in the world, science has to take a step beyond the lab or field and consider ways to bring these discoveries to the people.”

Among the other AgriLife Research innovations recognized were certificates by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Plant Variety Protection Office for: